“Trembling Before G-d” Sparks Discussion at YU

Lynn and Jules Kroll Fund for Jewish Documentary Film grantee Sandi Dubowski (“Trembling Before G-d”) discusses his impressions of a recent panel called “Being Gay in the Orthodox World” at Yeshiva University:

Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social work and the YU Tolerance Club sponsored a panel discussion called, “Being Gay in the Orthodox World”, in which 1 YU student and 3 former students spoke about the challenges of being Orthodox and gay to a standing-room only crowd.

An estimated 600 to 800 people attended and 200 people were turned away. The crowd was gracious and supportive. Panelists were inspiring, insightful and moving. “A Curious Jew” blogger Chana posted an unofficial transcript of the event. Partial video of the event is available on Vimeo.

Rabbi Mayer Twersky presented a shiur (teaching) strongly criticising the event, (available as an audio download or as a transcription) suggesting that the compassion for gays expressed by this forum can lead to an erosion of Orthodox halacha that condemns homosexual behavior as toevah (abomination). One of the panel participants countered each point in R Twersky’s shiur. Pulpit Rabbi Herschel Billet disagreed with R Twersky’s assertion, and suggested that compassion does not lead to halachic compromise. A blogger from the JTA Telegraph picked up on the distinction between rabbis who serve from the pulpit and the ivory tower of the yeshiva. If you have the time to dedicate, the commentary on each of these articles is also immensely interesting. The Jerusalem Post covered the fallout and also published an op ed critical of Twersky’s stance. Also covering the event and its aftermath were Jewschool (with lots of interesting links) and the Jewish Star (with photographs of the event) and The Jewish Week for Rabbi Steve Greenberg’s perspective (see also davetrekworld.blogspot.com).

It is amazing to see a new generation inspired to come out and organize after Trembling Before G-d’s Premiere lead the way. Am so proud of you.

Thanks to www.jewishmosaic.org for helping compile these resources.

I am deepening my work of Trembling Before G-d in high schools and screening at Jewbilee, a national gathering of Jewish high school students and their allies.